What’s the difference, taste-wise, between grass-fed and grain-fed lamb? Which do you prefer?
I’m a grain-fed kind of guy, but grass-fed seems to be the hot word right now. You’ve gotta remember, what they’re eating is how they’re going to taste. So grain-fed has a more subtle, meaty flavor as opposed to grass-fed, which will have a more wild, musty flavor.
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Do you need to trim a leg of lamb?
If it’s a boneless leg, usually it’s already netted and all that. It’s trimmed and ready to go. We call it BRT—boned, rolled, and tied. You’re not going to find too many bone-in legs of lamb at the grocery store. You have to order that from a butcher. Usually the fat cap is left on, but I wouldn’t trim it down much. I’d leave it and score the fat in crosshatch marks, and then that fat makes it self-basting. If you’re ordering American lamb versus Australian or New Zealand lamb, the fat is completely different. American lamb is fattier.
What’s with that blue ink stain on the meat? Should you remove it?
That’s the USDA choice or prime grade stamp. It’s edible. Originally, I think they used concentrated grape juice. I don’t know what they use nowadays, but it is edible. Honestly, if it bothers you, trim it out. You’re not going to ruin that piece of meat. But if you leave it, it’s not gonna hurt you.
How long does a frozen leg of lamb take to thaw?
First, you want to make sure you’re not thawing meat under running water or on the countertop. Always thaw in the fridge. Put it in the fridge 24 to 48 hours in advance. With a boneless leg, within 24 hours it’ll be thawed. If it’s bone-in, it’ll be close to 36 hours.
Anything else to look for when buying lamb?
At the grocery store, I look at the color of the meat. You want it not too dark, lighter in color. And the key is, don’t be scared of cooking lamb. It’s one of those things where it’s not the common dinner table meat, but it’s a wonderful piece of meat. It’s no different than beef, really, how you treat it. It just has a different flavor.
